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'ttntmsa' '
3nd llham L. Brown, 384S Cot
tage Grove, arrested, charged
with attempting to pass bogus
dollar on-car conductor.
N. Y. STARTLED BY BOLD
TAXICAB ROBBERY
New York, Feb. 15. Three
holdup men got awav with be
tween $20,000 and '$25,COO in
cash in one of the most daring
taxicab robberies that ever threw
a fit into downtown New York to
day. The holdup occurred at 10:30
o'clock at the corner 'of Rector
street and Trinity Place, just out
side the Produce Exchange bank.
The cash belonged to the East
River National Bank. It was tak
en from two of the bank's mes
sengers, who were returning from
another bank with the money.
The messengers both were
blackjacked into unconscious
ness. The driver of the taxicab
was forced at the point of a re
volver tq drive the robbers to
Park Place and Church street,
where a highpower automobile
was waiting for them.
The robbers jumped into the
automobile, which started off im
mediately, and the police have
hardly a clue to work on.
- The two men held up were
William Smith, 61, of Brooklyn,
and Frank Werrell, 16, of Pater
son, N. J. They had got the
money, $15,000 in $5 bills and al
most $10,000 in $10 bills, in a bag
from the Produce Fxchange
bank.
Just as theUaxicab was gath
ering way, one man 'sprang on to
the seat by the driver. Two oth
ers opened a door of the taxi and
climbed inside. What happened
then, is thus described by 'Gene
Martin e, driver of the taxi:
"The man who got up beside
me jabbed a gun into my ribs.
He kept it hidden under the lap
robe. 'Keep on a-going,' he hiss
ed, 'and if you make a. sound or a
turn I'll fill you full -of lead.'
"When J, felt the gun against
my ribs I 'gave the car the pow
er. Then I heard the door slam
and the struggle going on inside
the c.ar, but I didn't dare look
around.
' "We whizzed past two police
men. The gun was jammed a lit
tle harder into me. I was so
scared I couldn't make a sound.
As I neared Park Place and
Church, the man beside me said :
' " 'Slow down and stop at the
dorner.'
"I did as I was told. He
jumped off and streaked .for the
black automobile that was stand
ing there. I heard the door of the
taxi open and I saw the other two
men jump out and run over to the
car. One of them carried a bag.
The man who had been sitting be
side me started the engine of the
automobile. They were gone be
fore I could tell anybody what
had happened."
The two bank messengers were
so severely injured that they are
in a hospital for treatment.
o o
They are fighting "bum" booze
in Kansas. Such originality I All
the rest of the country is fighting
the real stuff.